1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods, systems, and computer programs for storing game data, and more particularly, methods, systems, and computer programs for storing game data on a network database.
2. Description of the Related Art
Games today are played across a wide range of devices and platforms. Often, users have the same game installed on multiple devices. For instance, Angry Birds™ is a game that can be played on many different platforms and devices. A user may have versions of the game in an iPad®, an iPhone®, an Android® device, a PC, a laptop, a Nintendo® DS, etc. All of these games are considered separate instances, meaning that the user has to replay levels on each device. There is no notion of shared, persistent progress. Additionally, if the user has preferences (e.g., sound level, key assignments), the preferences have to be re-configured on every device.
Most games have a state that is kept on the device, or in a removable drive. In some old game consoles, the data was kept in a cartridge or in a memory card. It is easy to lose the game state because it is easy to lose a memory card. In addition, the use of a memory card is inconvenient because a player that wishes to play in several devices has to carry the memory card around. Furthermore, if a user gets a new phone, and a game that the user had in the old phone is installed in the new phone, the user has to start playing from the beginning because the new phone has no record of the progress made in the game.
It is in this context that embodiments arise.